# Accident 19981106031659A: Piper PA28R200, Bishop, CA, November 6, 1998 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: November 6, 1998, 14:54 local time - Place: Bishop, CA - Damage: Destroyed - Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 37.3672° N, 118.3989° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Bishop, CA, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.3672&lon=-118.3989&mi=10 - Aircraft: N2737R, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N2737R-2001-03-16) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Piper PA-28R-200 (registry code 7102811, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28r-200) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA28R200 - Reported engine: LYC IO360C1C - People aboard: 3 - Fatal injuries: 3 - Pilot flight hours: 1,799 total, 100 in this make and model, 38 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX99FA028](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX99FA028) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19981106031659A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. ACFT WAS MISSING AND THE SUBJECT OF AN ALNOT SINCE 11/06/98 WHEN IT DEPARTED ON A VFR FLIGHT AND DISAPPEARED.(-23) ON NOVEMBER 6 1998 A PIPER ARROW)PA-28-200 DEPARTED NORTH LAS VEGAS AIRPORT (VGT), LAS VEGAS NEVADA WITH THE INTENT TO FLY TO MERCED CA. (MCE). THE PILOT AND TWO PASSENGERS DEPARTED VGT AT APPROXIMATELY 2145 UTC. OAKLAND AIR ROUTE TRAFFIC CONTROL CENTER LOST RADAR CONTACT WITH THE AIRCRAFT AT ABOUT 2350 UTC. THE AIRCRAFT WAS MISSING UNTIL NOVEMBER 12, 1998 WHERE IT WAS FOUND CRASHED INTO THE ROCKS AT 13,500 FEET AT MR. GODDARD (BIH210@23.5NM). THE PILOT AND PASSENGERS WERE DECEASED AT THE TIME OF LOCATING THE AIRCRAFT. NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED AND THE FLIGHT WAS CONDUCTED UNDER VISUAL FLIGHT RULES. THE ELT DID NOT ACTIVATE. NEITHER THE NTSB NOR THE FAA CONDUCTED AN ON SCENE INVESTIGATION DUE THE INHOSPITABLE TERRAIN AND ELEVATION. ON NOVEMBER 6,1998 A PIPER ARROW)PA-28-200 DEPARTED NORTH LAS VEGAS AIRPORT (VGT), LAS VEGAS NEVADA WITH THE INTENT TO FLY TO MERCED CA. (MCE) THE PILOT AND TWO PASSENGERS DEPARTED VGT AT APPROXIMATELY 2145 UTC. OAKLAND AIR ROUTE TRAFFIC CONTROL CENTER LOST RADAR CONTACT WITH THE AIRCRFT AT ABOUT 2350 UTC. THE AIRCRAFT WAS MISSING UNTIL NOVEMBER 12,1998 WHERE IT WAS FOUND CRASHED INT0 THE ROCKS AT 13,500 FEET AT MT. GODDARD (BIH210@23.5NM) THE PILOT AND PASSENGERS WERE DECEASED AT THE TIME OF LOCATING THE AIRCRAFT. NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED AND THE FLIGHT WAS CONDUCTED UNDER VISUAL FLIGHT RULES. THE ELT DID NOT ACTIVATE. NEITHER THE NTSB NOR THE FAA CONDUCTED AN ON SCENE INVENTIGATION DUE TO THE INHOSPITABLE TERRAIN AND ELEVATION. (.4) THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE INTENDED TO FLY A DIRECT ROUTE FROM HIS DEPARTURE POINT TO THE DESTINATION, A ROUTE THAT CROSSED THE SIERRA NEVADA MOUNTAINS OF CALIFORNIA. RECORDED RADAR DATA SHOWED THE AIRCRAFT ON A NORTHWESTERLY HEADING AS IT APPROACHED THE MOUNTAIN RANGE FROM THE EAST, CRUISING VFR AT 14,500 FEET MSL, AND APPROACHING 13,558-FOOT MOUNT GODDARD. FORECAST WINDS ALOFT WERE NORTHWESTERLY APPROXIMATELY 50 KNOTS. IN THE 9 MINUTES BEFORE THE AIRCRAFT DISAPPEARED FROM RADAR, MODE-C DECODED ALTITUDE DATA SHOWED THE AIRCRAFT DESCENDED FROM 14,500 FEET TO 13,200 FEET. THE WRECKAGE WAS LOCATED NEAR WHERE RADAR CONTACT WAS LOST AT THE 13,200-FOOT LEVEL ON THE MOUNTAIN SIDE. TWO PILOT REPORTS STATED THAT THE MOUNTAIN PEAKS WERE OBSCURED IN CLOUDS. THE AIRCRAFT CRUISED ABOVE 12,500 F EET FOR MORE THAN 50 MINUTES PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. THERE WAS NO SUPPLEMENTAL BREATHING OXYGEN ABOARD. ## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB LAX99FA028](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX99FA028), Nov 6, 1998: Piper PA-28R-200 (N2737R), Bishop, CA, destroyed, 3 fatal. Probable cause: The failure of the pilot-in-command, after encountering a downdraft, to maneuver and maintain clearance from mountainous terrain. Physical impairment due to hypoxia was a factor in the accident. ## Other reports on N2737R (1) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Incident 19950305005939I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19950305005939I), Mar 5, 1995: Piper PA28R200 (N2737R), Selma, CA. Narrative: on 03-05-95 Mr. Paul splan was PIC of the Piper 28R-200, N2737R, with three passengers on board, while on an IFR cross-country from calexico, Mexico… From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.